Valve for collecting and eliminating saliva from musical wind instruments



Sept. 15, 1959 F. D! BIASIO 2,903,935

VALVE FOR COLLECTING AND ELIMINATING SALIVA FROM MUSICAL WINDINSTRUMENTS Filed on. so. 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR:

a Si r D, 8/2;

Sept. 15, 1959 D] BIASIQ 2,903,936

VALVE FOR COLLECTING AND ELIMINATING SALIVA FROM MUSICAL WINDINSTRUMENTS Filed Oct. 50, 1956 ,3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. D] BIASIO VALVE FORCOLLECTING AND ELIMINATING SALIVA FROM MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENTS Sept.15, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. so; 1956 INVENTOR: FRAN ctsco mBAAsno,

MS ATTORNEY- United States Patent VALVE FOR COLLECTING AND ELlh HNATINGSALIVA FROM MUSICAL WIND INSTRUMENTS Francisco Di Biasio, Santa Fe City,Argentina Application October 30, 1956, Serial No. 619,325

6 Claims. (Cl. 84-397) The invention relates generally to musicalinstruments, and more particularly to a device for collecting andeliminating saliva from a musical wind instrument. The inventionprovides for a device which is put into the musical wind instrument forthe purpose of eliminating therefrom saliva which collects in theinterior of the tubes as a result of the musical performance. Theadvantages provided thereby are the following:

The performer may use the musical instrument without any need ofdischarging therefrom saliva for a lengthy time.

The task of discharging saliva from a wind instrument has long beenfound to complicate and to impair the performance of a musical work,especially if it is of a long duration and particularly when theperformer is a solo concertist. Periodic discharging has not only beenfound inconvenient in the past, but also detrimental to the instrument,causing wear and tear owing to the frequent disassembling andre-assembling. The accumulation of saliva in the instrument, during theintervals between discharges, has heretofore caused deterioration of theinstrument. Yet, unless the saliva is discharged on time, the air willproduce bubbles from the saliva with attendant disadvantages for thequality of musical performance.

The instant invention eliminates the need for periodic discharges. Itthereby renders possible that during concerts of long duration theplaying of the wind instruments can be continued without any need ofdischarging saliva from the wind instruments during the musicalperformance, as it permits the accumulated liquid to be discharged fromthe instrument only at the end of the concert.

So that the present invention may be understood clearly and easilycarried into practice in its fundamental concept, a description of apreferred form of embodiment is given hereafter, wherein reference ismade to the accompanying drawings which form part hereof, everything byway of example only and without limitation of the invention thereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of the device, applied to awind instrument at the most convenient place thereof (which varies inaccordance with the type and the shape of the instrument);

Figure 2 is an elevational, partly schematic, view of a tubular piecewhich is inserted in the interior of a tube of the instrument;

Figure 3 is an elevational view similar to Figure 2, but with theaddition of a piece in the shape of a channel which is perforatedbeneath, and its relative position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view which shows atubular discharge projection on the wind instrument for adapting theretothe instant device;

Figures 6 and 6a respectively are an elevational view and a bottom view,of a tube which will be threaded into the interior of the tubularprojection showing Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an extended elevational View of a tubular piece which isapplied coaxially to the said tubular pro jection;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8--8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a large scale elevational view of a coupling piece;

Figures 11 and 12 are large scale side elevational views of a tubularsupport for a valve to be removably mounted on the coupling piece ofFigure 10;

Figure 13 is a large scale view of a valve;

Figure 14 is a large scale elevational view of a tubular end piece whichis manually operable for the discharge of saliva from the device;

Figure 15 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 1515 of Figure14;

Figure 16 is a plan view of the movable end piece which has been shownin Figure 14; and

Figure 17 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view, similar toFigure 5, but including all the parts of Figures 6 through 16.

In all these drawings the same reference numbers represent equal orequivalent elements or parts.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates a convenientcurved stretch or conduit part of the musical wind instrtunent whichpreferably is chosen situated at the angle or curve extending downwardsduring the normal position of use of the instrument.

Said conduit part 1 is provided with a tubular projection 1a which isshown in Figures 1 and 5. The interior thereof provides near the mouthtwo internally threaded portions 19 and 21 of different diameter.

Into the interior of the conduit part 1 of the instru ment, there isplaced a tubular piece 2. The tubular piece 2 has an arcuate part and isprovided upon one of the sides with a plurality of transversal cuts 2athat define openings for the passage of liquid; each cut 2a extendsapproximately over one-half of the circumference of said tube. Thetubular piece 2 forms a succession of tubular stretches, each enteringpartially into the next following one, leaving in each cut 2a a crescentshaped space as may be seen in Figure 4.

Underneath the tubular piece 2, there is placed a channel structurepiece 3 which has an arcuate part and which has a semi-circular crosssection and is provided with a plurality of orifices or perforations 3aat the base for the passage of liquid. The orifices 3a are shown inFigure 4. The channel structure 3 partially surrounds the tubular piece2 and has an intermediate section adjacent the tubular projection 1a forthe discharge thereinto of saliva liquid.

Immediately beneath the channel structure piece 3, there is placed anabsorbent or hygroscopic material 4 (Figure 5), which might be a spongeor some similar suitable material which in volume must not pass over theend of the arrow a of Figure 3. The absorbent material 4 has been shadedin Figure 5.

To the interior of said tubular projection 1a, there is connected ahollow tube 5, which is provided near its upper end with a thread 18with which it engages the thread 19 of the tubular projection 1a. Nearthe lower end, the tube 5 is provided with a discharge opening includinga cut or slot 20 for discharging saliva which might have passed throughthe absorbent material 4; said cut 20 is elongated and thereby servesfurthermore for the mounting of the tube by means of a screwdriver.

In the proximity of said cut, the above mentioned tube 5 has differentcooperating orifices 20a for the discharge of accumulated saliva.

Concentrically with the tube 5, a hollow tubular structure or mouthpiece7' is connected, by means of the thread 21 of greater diameter, to saidtubular projection 1a.

Said mouthpiece 7 carries externally an extension tube 22a which isthreaded laterally at 22. A support, generally indicated at 6, formspart of another stationary portion or member 2212 of the instrument, andthus the support 6 is also stationary with respect to the instrument. Acoupling 22c is connected to the support 6, and the coupling 220 may beremovably threaded onto the thread 22' of the extension tube 2211 of themouthpiece 7, to immobilize the mouthpiece 7. When the coupling 220 isapplied, the mouthpiece 7 cannot move. When the coupling 220 is releasedfrom the thread 22, on the other hand, the mouthpiece 7 may be removedoff the instrument.

Internally, the mouthpiece 7 has adjacent to the walls thereof threeequidistant tubes 8, 9 and 10 between which the tube is placed as may beseen in Figure 9. Of said three tubes, the tube 8 is an air vent with anoutlet to the exterior, whereas the tubes 9 and 10 have their openingsstepped and their purpose is that of acting as ducts for automaticsaliva discharge. The mouthpiece 7 is open at the lower end or base.

To the base of the mouthpiece 7, there is threaded a hollow tubularcoupling piece 11 which is open at both ends. Said coupling piece has anexternal annular flange 23a with two channels 23 and 24 which arecoincident with above mentioned discharge tubes 9 and 10.

The coupling piece 11 has a lower external thread 25 to which there isthreaded a tubular valve support 12. Said tubular support 12' comprisesan upper funnelshaped part and a lower cylindrical part 26 of reduceddiameter. The lower part 26 has two opposed slots 27 and, oflisettherefrom at a 90 angle, an air vent orifice 28. At the base, thesupport 12 has an internal flange 120; which forms a seat for acompression spring 15, and a discharge opening 1212. On the interior ofsaid lower part 26 of the support 12 there is supported displaceably amovable plug 13. Said plug 13 is connected to a movable plug carrier 14which has an orifice for the passage of a pin 17. The movable plug 13normally closes the lower end of the coupling piece 11, thereby closingthe lower end of the mouthpiece 7. The plug 13 is manually movabledownwardly against the force of the spring 15, to open the lower end ofthe coupling piece 11 and thereby of the mouthpiece 7, for the dischargeof liquid accumulated inside the mouthpiece 7.

A movable tubular end piece 16 is provided that comprises an uppercylindrical part which is adapted to telescope onto the lower part ofthe mouthpiece 7, as shown in Figures 1 and 17, and has a lower part ofreduced width that surrounds the tubular support 12 and carries said pin17. The pin 17 passes through the end piece 16, the slots 27 and theorifice of the plug carrier 14. Holes 16a are provided in the movableend piece 16 which form passages for air and saliva, and the end piece16 has in its base a bottom discharge opening 16b.

The operation of the above described device is as follows:

Insuffiated air which flows in the direction indicated by the arrows ofFigures 2 and 3 carries with it a certain quantity of saliva. The salivawill pass through the crescent shaped cuts 2a of the tubular piece 2 andwill proceed to the channel structure piece 3 wherefrom it will issuethrough the orifices 3a at the bottom thereof and will be absorbed bythe hygroscopic material 4 disposed beneath the channel structure piece3 at the entry of the tubular projection 1a. Once the absorbent material4 is saturated, however, the saliva will begin to drip and till the tube5. Through the slot 20 in the base of the tube 5, the saliva will passinto the coupling piece 11 from which it will be discharged into theinterior of the valve support 12. The valve support 12 will form the 4base of a collecting receptacle the walls of which are those of the tube7.

For emptying the receptacle, it will be suificient to displacedownwardly by a sliding motion the end piece 16 whose pin 17 will carrywith it the plug 13. Movement of the plug 13 will permit the saliva toflow through the discharge opening 12b of the valve support 12 wherefromit will pass to the exterior through the opening 16b in the base of theend piece 16.

Should the performer, however, forget to empty the receptacle in thismanner, an automatic discharge system which has been provided in thedevice will still arrange for the saliva discharge. The automatic systemconsists of the tubes 9 and 10 which reach the exterior through theexternal channels 23 and 24 of the coupling piece 11.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, andbeen shown in the drawing, it should be noted that the invention may berealized in modified form, and adaptations of the arrangements hereindisclosed may be made, as may readily occur to persons skilled in theart without constituting a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the objects and in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed new and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent is as follows.

1. A device for collecting and discharging saliva, for use in connectionwith a musical wind'instrument having a conduit part conducting the airand a tubular projection communicating with said conduit part,comprising in combination a tubular piece disposed inside said conduitpart and having a series of transversal cuts defining openings for thepassage of liquid, a channel structure partially surrounding saidtubular piece and defining perforations for the passage of liquid, saidchannel structure having an intermediate section adjacent said tubularprojection for the discharge thereinto of the liquid, a tube connectedwith one end to said tubular projection and extending therefrom andhaving near its other end a discharge opening, a tubular structuresurrounding said tube and being connected with one end to said tubularpropection, a movable plug normally closing the other end of saidtubular structure and being operable to open it for the discharge ofliquid accumulated on the interior of said tubular structure, a tubularsupport connected to said other end of said tubular structure andsupporting said movable plug on its interior and having slots, saidtubular structure having on its interior a plurality of ducts adjacentthe inner wall of said structure bypassing said plug for dischargingliquid when the plug closes the tubular structure and having a furtherduct terminating outside said structure for the intake of air when saidstructure is closed by the plug, means for moving said plug comprising amovable end piece normally in position surrounding said tubular supportand being longitudinally movable from and to said normal position andincluding a pin protruding through said slots and engaging said plugwhereby upon movement of said end piece the plug will be moved touncover said tubular structure for the discharge of liquid from saidtubular support.

2. In a device as claimed in claim 1, together with, a body of absorbentmaterial disposed in said conduit part between said channel structureand said tubular projection.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 1, said conduit part of saidinstrument being bent and said tubular piece and channel structurehaving each an arcuate portion disposed in said bent conduit part.

4. In a device as claimed in claim 1, said tube being threaded into saidtubular projection, the discharge opening of said other end of said tubebeing elongated and thereby arranged to receive the end of a screwdriver for turning said tube about its axis for threaded engagement withsaid tubular projection.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, said instrument 6. In a device asclaimed in claim 1, said tubular suphaving a stationary member, saidtubular structure havport and said end piece having lateral openings forthe ing an extension operable to be connected to said mempassage of air.

ber of the instrument for immobilization of said tubular structure. 5 Noreferences cited.

